The school issue has received new oxygen with the publication of the Pisa survey in the closing stages of the Swedish election campaign. The criticism was not long in coming and has been sharp. Not least from the Swedish Teachers' union.
- We have long warned about what happens when students do not receive support in time and the teaching groups are too large and the teachers are not given sufficient conditions to do their job, says Anna Olskog.
She lists the union's demands for measures to reverse the results. It is about competent staff, more time for teachers to plan, implement and follow up their teaching, smaller classes and teaching groups to give teachers a chance to support each student, and that extra support for students in need must be provided more quickly.
- This is proof that we are not investing in the school to the extent that we need. On the contrary, there have been cutbacks. I tolerate no more excuses. Responsible politicians and principals cannot afford to fail the school, she says.
The head of Pisa, Andreas Schleicher, points out the poor reading comprehension in Sweden as a fundamental problem, which Anna Olskog also highlights.
- This is a result that requires action and the time for excuses is over. Now we want to see action from politicians and responsible principals. The result is worrying, particularly worrying is the development in reading comprehension.
Even from a political point of view, the criticism is sharp.
The Social Democrats held a press conference on Tuesday morning with Magdalena Andersson and education spokesperson Anders Ygeman.
- The PISA results show that there is a national emergency for Swedish schools. We must let this be an awakening. We cannot continue in this direction. The Tidö parties have failed their promises, they have failed Swedish schools and Swedish students. They have been savings instead of investments and now we see the result in black and white, says Magdalena Andersson.
The Social Democrats mention smaller classes in primary schools and a maximum number of pupils in preschool, as well as an immediate end to the cuts.
- We want to see a maximum of 12 students per teacher throughout primary school so that every child in our country gets a fair chance to learn basic skills. At the same time, teachers get a better working environment, says Magdalena Anderson.
The loss in reading comprehension is also visible among students with a high socio-economic background.
- It is a massive school failure. A state of emergency prevails in Swedish schools, says Anders Ygeman.
Should we force students to read more?
- Yes, it is quite obvious. The use of screens in school is basically gone, but it is clear that too few books are read both during and outside of school hours and that mobile phones are looked at too much outside of school hours. That's where we see the big problems and then we have to go ahead with an age limit for social media, he says.
The Center Party's Niels Paarup-Petersen describes the result as "a total disaster": "Tidö's school policy legacy is the worst school results in Swedish history and a record number of students who fail school," he writes.
More competent teachers in the classrooms and better student health as well as intensive Swedish teaching for students who do not speak Swedish with them from home are proposals for investments that the Center wants to see.
"L and the government have consistently said no to that. And now they want even fewer teachers. It is setting the stage for further deteriorating results in Swedish schools," according to Niels Paarup-Petersen.
The Green Party's education policy spokesperson Camilla Hansén sees the Liberals' policy:
"The financial statements show that it is clear that the Liberals are not a party that has the ability to take responsibility for either the climate, the jobs or the school. It is a huge understatement for their policy," she writes and continues:
"We need a government that can both provide long-term conditions for students, teachers and principals, and provide conditions for the school here and now. The Green Party has put more money into the school than the government in every budget. Instead, the government has pushed responsibility for the financial crisis onto the municipalities."
The left-wing party raises the profits lost to shareholders as a problem.
"Blaming declining results on screens is a convenient, free solution. The difference in this election is whether we invest in the students, or let the pursuit of profits continue," says education spokesperson Isabell Mixter in a written comment.
Anna Olskog's question hangs in the air:
- What could be more important than getting this sorted? That will be my question on these falling numbers.
